Impulse
by Raine Ishida
Summary: Impulse: A sudden wish or urge that prompts an unpremeditated act or feeling; an abrupt inclination." Tenten is at a party, and she's sick of parties. She's sick of her idiot boyfriend, of the drunks, of life in general. AU, Gaara/Tenten, Gay!Shikamaru.
1. Part One: Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Impulse**

By Raine Ishida

**Part One: Chapter One**

…

Tenten held the glass of tequila in her hand and glared at it. Neji was across the room, laughing with some bimbo. Someone who wasn't her. Well, fine. Two could play at this game.

But who was around to talk to?

Definitely not Lee. This was a college party. They were all at Neji's family's estate. Lee had been drunk for awhile. And one does not approach a drunken Lee unless they have a wish to end up in the hospital.

Tenten sighed, tipped back the remainder of her tequila and slammed the glass on the counter, her vision slightly fuzzy from prior alcohol.

"Rough night?" asked a soft voice from behind her. She turned and found pale blue eyes watching her from behind a fringe of black lashes. Spiky red hair adorned his head above his pale face. Gaara.

"I guess," she muttered. He was still watching her.

She frowned and turned back to him. "What are you doing here anyway? Don't you usually avoid these sorts of situations?"

"I'm experimenting with being social," he replied, a soft smirk on his lips.

"Want a drink?" she offered, holding up her empty glass. Gaara shook his head.

"No, thank you." Even his reply was soft.

"Suit yourself," Tenten replied, putting her glass gently into the sink. Her hands lingered on the glass, hesitant to give up the one thing she had to give her a reason to go to the bar area where Neji was laughing with that idiot blonde.

"See you," Gaara murmured, walking away without so much as another glance.

Tenten frowned. What was with him? As she turned, she found herself face to face with Neji, who snaked his arm around her waist, his breath heavy with alcohol.

"Come sit with me," he pleaded in her ear.

"What about the blonde?" Tenten hissed, ice in her voice as she glared up at him.

Neji blinked. "Her? Oh, nobody. Come on," he insisted, pulling her back into the next room where everyone was drinking and laughing.

Moments later, Tenten found herself seated on Neji's lap while he played with her hair, laughed at other peoples' stupid jokes and drunkenly kisses at her neck, leaving her feeling dirty with his unusually sloppy kisses.

Tenten couldn't hear any of the jokes. She didn't laugh when everyone else did.

Looking around at everyone else who wasn't involved in their drunken conversation, her eyes fell across Gaara, who was at the back door. He met her eyes for only a moment before exiting into the backyard and closing the door behind him.

Tenten's pulse began to race and by then her decision had been made. But she didn't get up right away. Subtlety required patience. So she had to wait.

When she did get up, she told Neji she was going to the bathroom, which was a bold-faced lie.

Once she'd closed the door behind her and the light of the porch glowed around her, she found herself slightly overwhelmed by confusion. Now what?

She decided to be brave and stepped into the darkness of the backyard. Neji's family's yard was reasonably large, and bordered by trees. A few trees in and her eyes had adjusted to the dark. Leaning against the tree in front of her was Gaara.

"Did you follow me out here?" he asked, uncrossing his arms.

Tenten frowned. Was he angry? No, his expression was soft, unguarded.

Tenten knew the rumors on campus about him. He kept to himself, he didn't hang out with everyone else. He was a freak.

But as she studied him, skin set aglow by the light of the moon, he hardly seemed the freak everyone claimed him to be. He seemed almost...ethereal.

"No, I didn't follow you. What are you doing out here?"

"Getting some air," he replied. He then looked at her as if to ask, 'Well, what about you?' But he didn't say anything. His slightly raised eyebrow asked for him.

"Yeah," she said, leaning on the tree next to him. "Me too."

"Neji?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I'm so tired of him," she groaned.

"Why are you wasting your time, then?"

"…I guess I need to be acknowledged by someone," she replied softly.

"He hasn't ignored you this entire time, has he?" Gaara asked, frowning.

Tenten shrugged again. "It's like…I'm just arm candy to him, most days. I know he cares about me, and I know there was a time we…used to be so great. But…"

"The spark is gone," the redhead murmured softly. "Yeah."

"Are you dating anyone?" Tenten asked him after a few minutes of muffled house party noises in the background.

Gaara shrugged. "No, not at the moment."

Tenten frowned. "But…"

"Are there rumors?" Gaara asked. "People assume, usually, that because I'm quiet and withdrawn that I don't know what they're saying about me."

"What are they saying about you?" she asked.

Gaara's shoulders relaxed as if a weight was lifting from his shoulders. "You haven't heard?"

"No, what are they saying?"

"At least you're acknowledged by someone," Gaara replied with a shrug. "Anyone who acknowledges me thinks I'm either a freak or a whore. Of which I seem to be neither."

"Why would anyone think you're a whore?"

"Beats me," he said.

"You don't strike me as the type to sleep around," she said, studying his face.

"I'm not."

"…But you have slept with someone. The rumors needed to start somehow."

"Is this important?" he asked, a blush lighting his cheeks. "I don't think it's that important. Besides, we were talking about you."

"Aww, you're all hot and bothered," Tenten said with a grin, sauntering over to him. "I mean, if the mood arises…"

Gaara frowned at her, his eyebrows furrowing together. "Tenten. What are you talking about?" he asked as she slid up to him, a sly grin on her lips, her body soft as she leaned against him, pinning him to the tree behind him.

"I could appreciate you," she muttered, her eyes half closed as she looked up into his eyes, focusing her gaze instead on his mouth. He shuddered.

"You're too drunk to even know what you're talking about."

"I am _not,_" she protested, frowning. He nodded.

"You are so." But he could not deny that he wanted her. Even though he knew it was wrong, because she was drunk, because she was someone else's girl, because of everything against his favor, he wanted her.

"But that's good…I'm not nervous or anything if I'm drunk," she said, giggling. Her words were beginning to slur.

He took her by the shoulders and removed her, reluctantly, from against his body with little effort. He wouldn't deny she had him a little excited. Only a little.

He paused as he set her against the tree. Then he made his decision. "…I live in the dorms. My roommate won't be home tonight. If you still feel this way in an hour and a half, and you're sober enough to make such a decision, come find me. Building C, dorm twelve."

Tenten smiled slyly. "An hour and a half?"

"Yes."

"You promise?"

"I don't want to, but yes."

"I'll see you then," she said with a giggle.

He sighed loudly, the weight of his decision heavy on his shoulders. What was he doing??

He left her at the tree, her giggling piercing holes in his chest as he walked away. He got into his car and drove back to the university, not a very long drive, thinking, angsting, deliberating the entire time.

_Stupid! _He cursed himself. _I'm such a fool! Why would I make an offer like that?? She's dating someone! _He paled, if possible. _Neji could beat you up without even trying. With one hand! Blindfolded! _His palms were sweaty against the steering wheel, which he beat in frustration, hitting the horn accidentally and startling himself.

"No. It's all okay… She'll understand if I tell her I changed my mind. She's still drunk anyway. Maybe…she'll not come at all. Right? Maybe. I hope…"

But still, his throat ached. His heart ached, his stomach ached, and…well, other parts of him ached too. It had been a long time since he'd been with anyone, but he didn't want to remedy that…like this. So why had he been so quick to offer? "Because I'm an idiot," he muttered, locking his car door after getting out. His parking spot at the university was a good ten minute walk from his dorm. It gave him time to think. He hoped his roommate was home. That was a great excuse to send Tenten away if she came to see him.

His roommate, however, was the partying type. If he said he wasn't going to be home, he wasn't going to be home. For a long time.

Two hours passed and he sat on his couch, his head back, the heels of his palms in his eyes, rubbing slightly. "It's…almost two in the morning…why am I still up?" he murmured into his hands.

The knock on the door was light, he almost didn't hear it.

When he opened it, cautiously, he was surprised. Tenten was on the other side, looking sheepish, embarrassed, and blushing a deep shade of pink that for whatever reason, Gaara found quite appealing.

"Sorry I'm late," she whispered. "I had a hard time getting away…people had…started doing drugs and it got a little scary."

He ushered her inside, glancing down the hallway to see if anyone had seen. No one was in the hallway at two AM, but that didn't mean someone wasn't watching from their peephole.

Gaara shut the door with a soft click, his heart pounding in his throat as he studied her, silently praying that his roommate would come home.

"Gaara, I don't…normally do things like this," she admitted, her arms wrapped around her torso. She had no purse with her.

"Me neither," he choked out. "Can I get you anything?"

"…Reassurance?" she asked.

Gaara smirked. "I'm afraid I don't have any of that in my kitchen," he joked. Tenten laughed softly.

"…Why am I here?" she asked. Gaara sighed.

"The question of the night. Why _are_ you here?"

"To get back at Neji? To…be my own person."

"That's a good reason," Gaara concluded with a small smile. Tenten paced the small room, glancing over the TV, the couch, the door to the bathroom.

"…Where's your room?"

"It's nothing impressive," he said with a forced laugh, scratching the back of his head.

"Show me anyway?" she asked, clasping her hands together in front of her. When she did that, it pushed her breasts together under her tshirt and distracted him.

"Yeah," he muttered, walking past her so she would no longer be in his line of sight.

His room was small, but sufficient. A poor student, his mattresses were right on the floor, a desk in the corner piled high with books and papers and a jar of pens and pencils. There was no laundry on the floor, no dirty socks taking up residence in corners. Tenten looked around, impressed.

"You're so clean…Were you expecting someone?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Gaara shook his head.

"I'm just not a slob. My roommate is, you should see his room."

"Maybe later," she replied softly, glancing over his bookshelf but not really looking at the books.

"Why…are we doing this?"

"Doing what?" she asked, turning to him with a sly smile. "We aren't doing anything."

"…I'm-"

"You made the offer, Gaara. You're gonna bail on me already?"

He watched her slink around his room, her hips mocking him as they swung, her graceful fingers brushing over the titles on the bookshelf, over the papers on his desk. Her mouth was curved in a sweet, wicked smile. She wasn't looking at him. He felt he'd die if she did.

"I won't. But you should," he decided.

"Why? Because I have a 'boyfriend'? He's nothing to me anymore. He's nothing but an inconsiderate, ungrateful, whining, spoiled little child."

"Does he know you feel this way?" Gaara was being backed into the wall. Had he closed the door? He couldn't remember, but his bedroom door was closed. Maybe he'd left the oven on earlier. …he should go check it.

Before he could even move any further, she had pressed him against the door, her body, now familiar to him, once again holding him in place, her hands on either side of his head.

"Well now. That's better, isn't it?"

"I…"

"You're nervous?"

"I'm…."

"Stuttering. I think I should be flattered." Tenten's nimble fingers went for his belt buckle first and he gasped in shock.

"Give up, Gaara. You're going to lose this game," she said, dropping his belt on the floor with a soft thud.

Gaara stared into her eyes, the eyes that smiled so wickedly, so deliciously at him. He wanted her. He wanted her so badly it was aching in his bones, but he knew it was a bad idea…but did he always have good ideas? Not always.

…And he had no one to blame it on but himself in the morning.

He gave up. His body relaxed and he took her hips, holding her in place.

"Fine. You win this round. But you're going to be sorry because the bonus round is always a killer," he hissed, kissing her deeply before she even had a chance to object. Not that she would.

..

All she knew was the taste of him. Lips, and teeth and tongue, and his grabby fingers that weren't too grabby, but just right. Not the kind that left marks, surely. He didn't want to leave evidence.

She hadn't managed to gasp his name, which she was thankful for. That would…seal the deal. It would make this…whatever 'this' was official. And she couldn't acknowledge it. More than she wouldn't look at herself in the mirror for two days after this, her shame would be so great. Then…how would she look at Neji, let alone kiss him? Let him kiss her, or more?

"Stop thinking," the redhead muttered to her. "You're making too big of a deal out of it. Just…relax."

"Funny to think that a little while ago it was me telling you something similar," she said.

"I don't…think we should talk at all," he told her simply, a moment later. "Sorry."

She didn't protest. She'd ask him why later and tangled her fingers in his hair.

…

When Tenten woke up at dawn as the sun was streaming through the open window covering, she gasped because she didn't know where she was. She thought for a moment that maybe she was at Neji's, but this wasn't Neji's room. A quick glance discerned she was naked. Mostly. She still had her bra on. She turned to look behind her and saw a mess of spiky red hair. Gaara. He was still asleep, his lips parted slightly, his breathing soft. _Gaara?!_ she thought, but then she shook her head to clear it and remembered. Right. She'd come over here of her own volition. Right, right…right.

She needed to get out of there, and it needed to be now.

She glanced around the room, looking for her clothes, and spotted them a few feet away. Sliding out of the bed as quietly as possible, she dressed quickly, but not before she'd woken Gaara.

He sat up, stretched and frowned at her. "Why are you leaving so early?"

"I have to get out of here," she replied hurriedly. He reached for his pants and pulled them on.

"Hang on," he said, putting his finger to his lips. Glancing at his clock, which read that it was 6:30am, he frowned, then cursed.

"What is it?" Tenten asked, alarmed.

"My roommate's home."

"How do you know?" she asked. Gaara got off the bed and went to the door. "I can hear him."

Tenten followed him to the door. "There's no sneaking you out," he explained. "We just have to face the music."

…

Gaara exited the room with as much dignity as he could muster, holding his head up high, back straight, shoulders squared. His roommate was in the small kitchen, a frilly pink polka-dotted apron on and a spatula in his right hand while he watched the scrambled eggs cooking.

"Only you would make breakfast at such an ungodly hour," Gaara said, announcing his presence.

His roommate turned around and grinned. "Yeah, well, _some of us_ didn't eat anything all night. Well, not food anyway." A sly grin followed.

"Gross," Gaara muttered, sitting at the table. Shikamaru approached the table, his hands on his hips, the spatula still in his right.

"So, how was the party?"

It was then that Tenten decided it safe enough to leave the room. Shikamaru heard Gaara's bedroom door creak and he glanced up. Once his brain had registered that it was Tenten, he gasped. Loudly.

"You _didn't!_" he cried. Gaara kept his gaze at the table, shamed.

Tenten blushed. "Hey Shikamaru," she said softly, approaching the table.

"You _idiot!_" Shikamaru was yelling at Gaara. "Do you know what Neji could _do to you!?_"

"We've discussed it," Gaara said calmly, standing as Tenten reached the table. She blushed deeper when he pulled back the chair for her.

"Well, have you thought of what you want your headstone to say? You'd better tell me, because you know he's going to kill you. Or have one of his cronies do it. Either way, you're going to die."

Shikamaru was pacing now. He remembered his eggs and turned the burner off, too distressed to eat.

"Want these?" he asked, offering Tenten a plate of scrambled eggs. She smiled softly.

"Thank you, they look delicious." She ate in silence while Shikamaru huffed and puffed, eventually throwing the spatula into the sink.

"You're crazy," he accused, pointing to Gaara from across the kitchen. "Absolutely insane. You've lost it, haven't you? Unless she seduced you and you're trying to cover for her because that's just the stupid, idiotic gentleman in you…"

Gaara sighed. "Shikamaru, shut up for a minute, okay?"

"No, but honestly-"

"Shikamaru. I said _shut up._"

Gaara's tone was enough and Shikamaru sat down at the table, folding his arms. "Well?" he asked, turning to Tenten. "Talk to me, darling. What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, wiping her mouth with the napkin he handed her.

"Don't play dumb with me, sweetheart. I know you're smarter than that." Shikamaru leaned forward on his arms, resting on the table. "Why would you forsake your gorgeous, violent boyfriend for this redheaded, albeit also gorgeous, idiot like my roommate?"

Tenten blushed a deep red. "I don't even know."

"There," Shikamaru said, satisfied.

"But in his defense," she followed quickly, "I don't think he knows either."

"So it was just a spur of the moment decision?" Shikamaru asked. They both nodded simultaneously. "Oh. Well, good. I make those," he said, standing up. "But I'm _not dating anyone!_ Especially not someone who could kill me with his bare hands!"

"Shikamaru, drop it, would you?" Gaara asked. "We're sneaking her out once you're finished ripping us both new ass holes."

Shikamaru bit his bottom lip and sighed heavily. "I…don't know what to say, you guys. Tenten, I adore you, you know that. You're adorable and I love your hair. But...I can't have you putting my roommate's life at risk by sleeping with him. Please. Don't do it again, okay?"

She blushed, but nodded. "Okay."

"I'm sure it's too bad, what a loss, blah blah…But really. If Neji finds out I helped you sneak out, darling, I'm in danger too. And I'm too young to die."

"Too many more men to deflower," Gaara translated, quoting with his fingers. Tenten covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Shikamaru shot Gaara a dirty look. "Say what you want. Now come on, let's get her out of here."

……

_To Kate._


	2. Part One: Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

**Impulse**

By Raine Ishida

**Part One: Chapter Two**

…

Tenten hadn't spoken to Gaara for weeks since the 'incident'. There had been several more parties, and she'd politely declined going, ignoring Neji's protests. He was starting to ask her why she didn't feel like going anymore, and she grew tired of making up excuses. Frankly, she was starting to run out of them.

She also didn't want to run into Gaara. She'd passed him a few times on her way to different lectures, and he'd met her eyes, and she'd blushed, turning her face to the ground. She wanted to see him again. The air around him was different, so much less…uptight.

She also knew she couldn't see him again. That one time a few weeks ago was the only time. Sitting there hoping for another chance wasn't going to change anything. Neji was getting suspicious with the more and more withdrawn she grew.

He hadn't yet confronted her about it, but she knew he would in time. Especially if she declined the next party invitation, so she knew she had to go to this one. It would be Temari's birthday party.

Herein, however, lay the problem. Temari was Gaara's older sister. Older by three years, Temari was working on her second degree, and had made many friends throughout the university. The party would be huge, and it would be in her sorority house. Great. Drunk women everywhere, followed around by drunk men trying to get with the drunk women. Tenten wrinkled her nose in disgust. She didn't even know why she went to these parties. She didn't even drink that much, and she hated watching everyone get drunk around her, having 'fun', when she knew they all felt horrible the next morning.

Especially when they woke up in foreign places, like she had.

But that had only been the one time…

Temari was Gaara's older sister. This meant there was a chance that Gaara would be at the party. But so would Neji. So…why was she excited? The glimmer of it was small, in the pit of her stomach, but it was still there. She…was excited at the prospect of seeing Gaara again, even talking to him.

What was this she was feeling? Neji had just always been there, never really taken the time to be an object of infatuation, since they'd been friends since grade school. Everyone had just assumed they belonged together because of their close friendship.

But…this attraction to Gaara that she felt…this hadn't happened with Neji. Ever. Perhaps this was just some sort of new person fascination. Perhaps it was loneliness. Neji had been a great friend in high school, but never a great boyfriend. He was too focused on his status, too focused on everything else, putting her last.

Tenten had always been last. She'd never been first in Neji's life, and she wondered if that would ever change. Probably not.

Neji caught up to her that afternoon as she was heading back to her dorm. "Hey. Are you coming over tonight?"

Tenten shrugged out from under the arm he'd slung over her shoulders and settled for his hand on her waist. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously.

"I don't know, Neji, I have a lot of homework…finals are coming soon."

"Please," Neji scoffed. "Since when do you study?"

"Since always?" she retorted harshly. "I always study, you just never noticed before."

"Come study at my house," he suggested. "No one's home, it'll just be us…"

Tenten stopped, stepping out of his grip on her waist. "Neji. You know if it's just us you have no interest in studying whatsoever."

He grinned slightly and shrugged. "Yeah, so?"

"So I want to study."

"What's gotten into you, Tenten?"

"A lack of good grades?"

"You're full of it," he said, his tone icy. "You've never had a bad grade in your life. It's always you tutoring _me_, remember?" He sighed, glancing around campus. "Whatever. I'll see you around, then. You'd better come to Temari's party on Friday. If you're not there, I'm coming to your dorm to get you."

"I'll be there," she replied timidly. "See you then."

Neji figured he'd better do something boyfriend-like, so he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I miss you, Tenten. Talk to me once you've figured out what's bothering you, okay?" He seemed genuinely concerned. She offered him a pasted-on smile and sighed, nodding slightly.

"Yeah, okay."

"Thanks. See you Friday night."

"Yeah, Friday." She watched as he jogged off and then she turned and stormed off to her dorm room to study.

…

Friday came quickly. Too quickly. Before she knew it, Tenten was dressing for the party. She'd decided if she was going, she was going to please.

She was wearing a short denim skirt, the kind she wouldn't be able to sit in, but her legs looked fantastic. She wore a black, sequined halter, tied behind her neck, her hair in a messy bun with tendrils grazing her neck. Adding on some dangly earrings and a bit of lip gloss, and she was in business. Neji choked when she opened the door, his eyes raking over her body as she reached for some strappy heels. "Woah."

Tenten just smiled at him as he continued to ogle. "I definitely approve."

"Yeah, well. You'd better be on your best behavior tonight."

"Aren't I always?"

She shook her head. "Seldom."

…

The party was already in full swing when they got there. Temari was dancing on a table with a couple of guys who looked like they'd already had one too many. Temari had a bow on her head and ribbons around her neck, as well as a banner that read "Happy Birthday" draped over her chest like a pageant sash.

Neji kissed the side of Tenten's neck and asked her to get him a drink. She smiled faintly and headed off to the kitchen, avoiding the mass of flailing limbs, dancing to whatever techno was blasting a touch too loudly.

She reached the kitchen where there was a full bar set up, someone manning the bar with a dopey grin. It was Kin, who was also in Temari's year. Her long hair was braided over her shoulder, swinging as she poured drinks with expert fingers.

Tenten asked for two drinks, one not as strong - she'd give that one to Neji - and glanced around the kitchen while Kin mixed them up.

Gaara was in the kitchen. She'd walked right past him. He was leaning against the counter in the corner, next to the sink, holding a bottle of beer, unopened. Tenten smiled at him.

"Hey," she said, not needing to shout. The bass wasn't as loud in the kitchen. Gaara glanced up and nodded.

"I didn't know you liked beer," she said, her drinks in hand. Gaara shrugged.

"Yeah, I don't. I just…needed to hold something."

Tenten glanced at the drinks in her hands. "I need…to take this to Neji."

"Ah, you're here with him," Gaara said, almost absentmindedly. Tenten smiled faintly.

"I'll be right back."

"Heard that one before," Gaara muttered. But she did come back, moments later, with only her own drink in her hand.

"I decided to give Neji the stronger one and left him with Lee," she said with a sly grin. Gaara chuckled.

"That was clever of you."

"So how are you?" she asked, leaning on the other side of the counter so she was facing him.

The redhead sighed. "I'm at my sister's birthday party in a sorority house full of drunken idiots, most of them are either on their way to being naked, or already are, and you're asking me how I am?"

"Yeah, you hate parties, don't you?"

"Loathe them."

"So why are you here?" Tenten asked.

"My sister asked me to come. That, and someone has to be on cop duty. If necessary, I'm the sober one to call the police. Or make sure my sister doesn't pass out, or make out with some idiot. Which she's probably doing because I'm not keeping watch."

"Isn't your sister a grown woman?" Tenten asked, pouring her untouched drink into the sink. She hadn't wanted it in the first place.

"Yes, but she's still an idiot, and it's her birthday. People will be filling her up with booze until she's unconscious on the bathroom floor."

"I could say the same about Neji."

"Funny. Maybe they'll end up together."

"Hilarious," Tenten said dryly. "Wouldn't that just make your night?"

"Why haven't you spoken to me since…that night?" Gaara asked suddenly, changing the subject that was soon to become awkward by introducing a new, more awkward topic. Tenten shifted from foot to foot nervously. She regretted getting rid of her drink. She needed something to do with her hands.

"I…"

"Are you ashamed?"

"Nobody knows but us and Shikamaru," she said softly. "Why are you asking me that?"

"I just wonder. Not that we spoke before, but…"

"Now you want to. Like we're friends or something."

"I'd like to try to be." His expression was blank.

"So you can sweep me off my feet away from Neji?" she asked hotly. Gaara flushed.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Well, that's how it sounds," she replied, crossing her arms in anger.

Gaara sighed. "If this is how this conversation is going to go, I'll just leave, alright? I just wanted…to know why you've been avoiding me."

Tenten returned the sigh, her cheeks burning. "I didn't want Neji to notice anything if he saw me talking with you. He's very perceptive. He notices things other people don't, so…the slightest comment, a smile, a touch, any sort of body language witnessed outside of that one party…he'd know."

"Is he studying to be a psychologist?" Gaara asked, his eyebrows raised, impressed.

Tenten smiled and shook her head. "No, he's taking sciences, believe it or not. It'll make his dad proud, so he's doing that instead. He's good at psychology, so he might take that after he gets his degree, but…I don't know."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Well, how do you feel about dating a manipulative shrink?"

Tenten frowned. "He's not a shrink!"

Gaara shrugged. "Alright, if you say so…"

Tenten stood, shifting her weight from foot to food, her arms crossed, her fingers absentmindedly kneading the skin on her forearms.

"You look amazing," Gaara said softly after a minute or two of silence.

"What?"

"That outfit. I know you dressed to come to a party and that it's not very ladylike, blah blah, but…I can't help but admire you in it. Way to achieve your goal."

"What does that mean?" she asked, frowning. Gaara shrugged.

"You wore an outfit that would glean attention. You succeeded."

"That's why I'm hiding in the kitchen, right?" she asked, a delicately arched eyebrow raised.

"Right. You should be out there, dancing on tables."

"How would that change things?"

"I might actually enjoy this party," he commented simply. Tenten felt her face grow hot.

"I would not dance on the table for you," she hissed. Gaara smirked.

"No?"

"No."

"What _would_ you do for me?"

Neji entered the kitchen just then and spotted her. "There you are! I've been looking for you."

Tenten's face grew hotter. "Neji!"

"Yeah, I've been looking all over the place. What are you doing in here?"

She glanced quickly at Gaara, who raised his beer in salute. "Just…talking with Gaara."

"Ah, well, come on…come dance with me." Tenten frowned. Neji smelled like pot.

"Have you been smoking?" she asked. He shrugged.

"I only had one, I'm fine. Just come dance for awhile, I like this song."

As he escorted her out, his hands all over her hips, she glanced back at Gaara, her eyes wild with panic. He watched her go and shrugged.

"Help me!" she mouthed before she was out of sight. Gaara set the unopened beer bottle on the counter. The lady wanted help. Very well then, he'd help.

…

It was half an hour of hell she had to endure before Gaara came to her rescue. Neji had been drinking the entire time, in between dancing sloppily with her, making her feel like some sort of accessory. Now and again she got bounced to some other young horny male, with hands that were too grabby, and eyes that leered, even while bloodshot and dilated.

The next person she was pushed to held her hips softly. She looked up and saw that it was Gaara. "Come on," he whispered into her ear.

She glanced back at Neji, who was on the couch with a couple of other people, sharing another joint. Looking back at Gaara, she nodded. "Right."

He took her hand and led her through the sweaty, pulsing crowd until they were outside on the front steps.

"Ahh, fresh air!" Tenten cried, raising her arms happily. Gaara smiled.

"It's pretty gross in there," he agreed.

"What about your sister?" Tenten asked, turning to face him where he leaned against the doorframe. He shut the door behind him and shrugged.

"She's a big girl. She can take care of herself. Besides, Kankurou's in there somewhere. He's her brother too; he can help her if something happens."

"I'll remember you said that when we're visiting her in the hospital tomorrow morning."

"If anything it'd be alcohol poisoning," Gaara muttered, closing the door behind him. On the porch to the side in the swinging chair, there was a couple deep into their makeout session. They hadn't even looked up when Tenten had made her excited proclamation of fresh air.

Gaara wrinkled his nose. "Get a room," he muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Want to go for a walk?" Tenten asked with a shy smile.

He nodded. "I'd love to."

…

They walked around the entire campus in the dark, Gaara having removed his sweater and draping it across Tenten's bare shoulders as they walked. They talked about their majors, their favorite professors, the campus in general. Tenten found herself wondering about deeper things.

"So…why don't you have a girlfriend?" she asked. His silence made her wish she hadn't asked. "Sorry, I'm overstepping my boundaries…"

"What boundaries? We have boundaries? I wasn't aware of this," Gaara said with a half-smile.

His hands were still stuffed in his pockets and he watched the ground as he walked, one foot in front of the other.

"I don't have a girlfriend," he started softly, "Because I can't find one who's worth my time. And whenever I do, she's dating a douchebag."

Tenten flushed. "Who was your last girlfriend, then. Did I know her?"

"Okay, that's a complicated question. If you're looking for 'last serious relationship', ask that."

"Alright, fine. What was your last serious relationship?"

Gaara pressed his lips together, thinking carefully before answering. "Hinata Hyuuga, two years ago."

She gasped. He nodded. "See why I'm in such a difficult position with you? He knows me. He'd rather not, as I'm sure he'd admit, but…"

"Why…did you break up?"

"Distance. She goes to a university across the country now. We couldn't make it work." There was sadness in his voice, but a deep, underlying fondness.

"Were you together a long time?" Tenten asked softly. He nodded.

"Yeah…almost two years."

"That's pretty serious," she said. Gaara shrugged.

"I guess so," he replied. "So what about Neji? What's the deal with him?"

Tenten sighed. "I don't know. We've been…we grew up together. I've just kind of…always been around him and it just developed into some kind of relationship that seemed necessary. Like because we grew up together we had to be together, you know?"

Gaara nodded. "That must be tough, putting on such a show."

Tenten nodded in return, then realized what he'd said. "What do you mean by that?"

"You don't love him," Gaara said.

Tenten stopped walking. "…how dare you!" she accused, pointing. "You think you know how I feel about my own boyfriend?"

"He might be perceptive, but he's not the only one. I know you don't love him anymore. It's on your face when you're together. If you felt anything for him at all, things would be different."

"You're giving yourself too much credit," she spat, her cheeks burning.

"I doubt it. My major _is_ psychology."

"Whatever," she grumbled, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

"Look," Gaara said. "Tenten. I just…forget it, okay? Can I walk you to your dorm?" He checked his watch quickly. "It's late."

She sighed, giving up. "Neji-"

"Won't care where you are. He's too high by now."

"Gaara, why do you-"

"Tenten," he said softly, taking her gently by the elbow. "Just stop worrying about him. He's also a big boy who can take care of himself, even if that means he's lying on the floor right now, laughing about the ceiling fan."

They didn't speak until they were at her door. She hesitated. "Do you…want to come in?"

"Is that a good idea?"

"Why isn't it?"

"You know what will happen," he whispered.

She looked up at him with sad eyes. "I don't care," she whispered in return.

She opened her door and pulled him inside by the hands, closing and locking the door behind her.

"My roommate's not home," she said.

Gaara just laughed. "Yeah, I've heard that one before…"

…


	3. Part One: Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto.

**Impulse**

By Raine Ishida

**Part One: Chapter Three**

Tenten woke the next morning knowing what she'd done was wrong. She didn't say anything, and neither did he as they quickly had separate showers, and left at separate times.

A quick, whispered vow had been uttered as Gaara left. "We can't do this anymore. It's dangerous."

She nodded in agreement, much to her distaste. He was right. If Neji found out, he'd hang them both.

"Yeah. I'm sorry," she said at the door. He nodded and closed it behind him without so much as a goodbye.

Neji continued to ignore her throughout the week. He didn't know what she'd been up to, but he knew she'd left the party without telling him and that was reason enough for him to be upset with her.

He told her there was another party at Lee's family's house, another estate near the Hyuuga's, and he expected her to be there. She knew what that meant. _You're coming or I'm coming to get you and take you there by force._ Not that things would be any different. He'd get drunk or high and sit around laughing at nothing, being an idiot, and she'd be left to wander. She hoped Gaara wasn't there.

But he was.

The night of the party, it was just as usual, drinking, sex behind closed doors, joints being shared, dancing, drunkenness, broken tables from people dancing on them, falling on them in their drunken stupors, and whatever else the night saw. Tenten was tired of it all. Neji was slurring his words, but he was still hanging on to her.

"I won't let you leave me this time," he mumbled as clearly as he could, his grip firm on her wrist. She followed him around, knowing even he didn't know where he was going when she spotted Gaara from far away. Again, at a party without wanting to be. She wondered then if he was following her, because she hadn't seen either of his siblings here, so why would he have a reason to be unless he was…looking for her?

_Don't be so egotistical,_ she told herself. _He's probably just here because he and Lee are friends….when Lee is sober._

Lee was sleeping in a corner. He'd be awake in half an hour or so, ready for part two of what would be a loud and disruptive display of drunken fist.

Neji kept wandering until he found a couch that was unoccupied and plopped down on it, pulling Tenten into his lap. "Hey," he crooned softly into her ear. It gave her shivers, not unpleasant, but still, smelling the alcohol on his breath bothered her more than letting him make any moves on her.

"I miss you," he continued to murmur, his fingers toying with the hair at the base of her neck, his other hand tracing delicately over the exposed skin of her arm, following along her shoulders, her collarbone, and right above the hem of the top of her low-cut shirt where the swell of her breasts began. She pushed his hand away. "Neji, you're drunk."

"So?" he mumbled, tilting his head to kiss her neck. She frowned.

"So I don't like when you're drunk and I'd like you to stop this." She squirmed in his grip, trying to pull away from his lips. She didn't want a hickey either, which he only seemed to leave whenever he was under the influence.

"You don't want this?" he asked her, raising an eyebrow. "You'd say no to me?"

She looked him in the eyes as bravely as she could, knowing she was about to make a big mistake. "Yes, Neji. I would say no to you. And I'm saying no to you right now." She was foolish. No one was paying attention to them, amidst their own world of intoxication.

He pushed her down into the couch and ground his teeth, seething. "You little _slut_," he hissed, hovering over her as a show of dominance, a scare tactic. It was working. His free hand that wasn't on her shoulder, holding her against the couch, was tugging at the buttons on the front of her shirt, unbuttoning half of them as he sneered. "You think that just because you're something special you can deny me? I know my rights, Tenten. You _belong_ to me. You're mine."

"Not if she doesn't want to be," came a soft, calm voice next to them. Gaara.

Neji sat up. "What the hell do you want?" he asked, a little louder than he probably should have, matching Gaara's smooth tone. Tenten sat up quickly and covered her chest. Nearby partygoers started to pay attention to the little couch they were situated around.

"I want you to stop harassing her. She said no; you should respect that. Otherwise you're just a bully." Gaara was shooting in the dark. If Neji took a swing at him, chances are, he'd land it. Gaara wasn't a fighter; he was being very foolish in stepping in to defend Tenten.

Neji sneered. "She's _my_ girl, I have a right to do what I want with her."

"I don't think that's a very good argument to start with her right next to you," Gaara said softly. Neji had to crane his neck towards him to hear what he was saying. "Besides. I'd hate for you to make a fool of yourself in front of all of these people." People were paying attention fully, though the din around them hadn't quieted.

"You're one to talk," Neji spat. "_Freak_. What are you standing up for her for anyhow? You like her or something? Well let me tell you something, _Freak_. She'd never go for a weirdo like you."

Tenten stood and shook her head. "I'm tired of this, Neji. I'm going home."

"No you're not!" he protested as she pushed past him without even looking at Gaara. "Tenten! Get back here!"

The other partygoers stopped paying attention once Tenten had rushed past, hastily buttoning her top. Neji stumbled over someone's outstretched legs as they splayed on a chair, and fell to the ground, disorienting himself. In the confusion, he only saw Gaara hurry after Tenten.

"Slut!" Neji screamed after her. "Whore!"

Everyone ignored him.

…

"Are you alright?" Gaara asked, catching up to her. She was down the street, her hands in her hair, tears streaking her face, but she'd stopped crying. She was breathing heavily, panicking.

"I…don't know."

"What do you know?" Gaara asked, leading her to sit on the sidewalk to catch her breath.

She continued to breathe heavily, and he gently eased her so she was leaning forward with her head between her knees. "Just calm down for now," he urged. "Tell me about it in a minute."

"I've never just…said no before," she said calmly, sitting up a moment later. She stared ahead across the quiet street, the bass coming from Lee's house the only sound other than the sound of the night around them; the buzz of the streetlights seemed deafening for a moment.

Gaara frowned at her.

"I've never…just told him no."

"Never?" he asked. She shook her head. Gaara couldn't believe it. How much had she put up with in her fear of saying no to Neji? How many times had she just grinned and bore it, hating herself?

"You're allowed to make your own decisions," he explained softly. She shrugged.

"I guess I always thought…that with him I wasn't allowed." Her voice was quiet. She seemed very small right then, staring into the distance, her arms around her knees.

"Are you glad you got out when you did?"

"Tomorrow he'll think we're still together, that it's all okay again. But…it's not."

Gaara shook his head. "No, it isn't."

"I have to…tell him we're through."

"Are you going to tell him…something else?" Gaara asked nervously. She smiled.

"No, I don't think so. He's angry enough at you that you'd stand up to him for my benefit."

Gaara sighed. "Well, I hate to do this to you, but Shikamaru's back at the party and I have to get him before we go back to the university. Do you want to wait here?"

Tenten sighed, stood and smiled at him. "No, I'll come with you. Just…don't leave my side, okay?"

Gaara returned her smile. "Certainly."

…

They found Shikamaru in Lee's basement, giggling on the couch while seated between two big guys who looked like they didn't want him there. The one on Shikamaru's right was a tall young man, who was sitting as far away from Shikamaru as possible, leaning away from him, his arms around the potted plant on the side table.

The young man on Shikamaru's left was gnawing on his lip, as Shikamaru was leaning into him. "Look, man. You smell really nice, I'm telling you. Like…vanilla or something tasty. Can I taste you?"

"Hidan, what the hell, man? Who is this guy?" The plant-man asked nervously. Hidan glanced over at his friend over Shikamaru's head and shook his head.

"No idea, Zetsu. Get him off me!"

Shikamaru giggled. "Your friend, Zetsu? He smells nice too, but like…green, like plants or something. You…just smell good. Can I seriously taste you? I promise I don't bite hard," he explained, running his finger down Hidan's cheek. The nervous blond fingered a religious symbol hanging around his neck, while he ground his teeth together.

"Look, buddy, just because you're a little high-" Hidan took Shikamaru's hands and pushed them back into his own lap.

"A little?" Shikamaru squealed, laughing. "You were the one who _brought_ those brownies. You know how much of the stuff was in them, don't you?"

"How many did you have?" Gaara asked, approaching his roommate with Tenten following close behind.

"Like…two?" Shikamaru said, shrugging, his face splitting into a wide grin. "I lost count."

"Then it's time to leave," Gaara said, reaching for Shikamaru's hands. "Come on, let's go back to the dorm, okay?"

Shikamaru poked Hidan's cheek one last time. "You know, you're really cute…"

"Get him out of here!" Hidan begged, looking up at Gaara with pleading eyes.

Gaara nodded. "Sorry about that, guys."

Shikamaru took Gaara's hands and followed him out of the room. "Hey, it's Tenten!" Shikamaru cried excitedly, throwing his arms around her. "I've missed you, darling! How are you? Is Neji around? He's going to kill us!"

Tenten shushed him and took his other arm, the one that Gaara wasn't firmly gripping, and led him back up the stairs away from a grateful Zetsu and Hidan, who were sighing with relief.

Down the street towards Gaara's car, Shikamaru was singing a rousing version of "Puff the Magic Dragon."

"Aren't people supposed to be really mellow when they're high?" Tenten asked. Gaara shrugged.

"I hope it comes soon. If it doesn't, there's another hour or so of this before he passes out. He'll be fine in the morning."

Shikamaru fell asleep in the car on the way back to the university.

"So you're always his babysitter at parties?" Tenten asked, sitting in the front seat. They'd been driving in silence for awhile, before she broke it with her question.

"Of the two of us, I'm usually the only one who doesn't partake in narcotics. I'm always driving him somewhere because he's too drunk or too high… He thinks he takes care of me by cooking and cleaning, but…" Gaara looked into the rearview mirror and smiled fondly at Shikamaru, who was snoring quietly. "…I really think it's me who takes care of him."

"He's never bugged you about anything?"

"Oh, you mean like…he was bugging that other guy?"

"Yeah, like…he's never tried anything?" Tenten asked, raising an eyebrow. Gaara chuckled.

"He hits on me, yeah, but he knows I'm not interested. He has self respect, even if sometimes he doesn't act like it."

"Like now," she said.

Gaara nodded. "Like now."

More silence pervaded the car.

As they drove up to the university, Tenten found it in herself to ask the question that had been rolling in her mind since their encounter with Neji.

"So what now?" she asked.

Gaara glanced across the front seat at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well…Neji's not in the picture anymore. What…now?"

"I don't know, Tenten," he replied, putting his hands over his face and sighing with exasperation. "Look. I really like you, but…"

"No, it's…okay," she interrupted, her face flushed, embarrassed. "I understand." She made to get out of the car and he grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Wait, Tenten, that's not what I meant! I just…want you to know that I don't really know how to act in this situation. I…can we just…take things one day at time? See what happens?"

She smiled softly, leaned over the seat and kissed him on the cheek. "That sounds like a great idea. Thanks for the ride home."

He watched her walk back across the grass to her dorm until he couldn't see her anymore. Then he turned to the backseat for his new obstacle. Shikamaru snorted and smiled in his sleep.

Just another Saturday night.

…

Note: I'm aware that Zetsu and Hidan are out of character. I don't care. Haha.

Note2: This concludes part one. Part two…will be Shikamaru-centric, so don't ask for more Tenten/Gaara, because you won't get any. :P Hahaha.


	4. Part Two: Chapter One

**Disclaimer: Even still, I do not own Naruto.**

**Impulse**

By Raine Ishida

**Part Two: Chapter One**

The man at the table in the coffee shop was cute.

Shikamaru wanted to talk to him, but a nagging part of him, always in the back of his mind, told him it wasn't a good idea. What if he was laughed at? Called names? Beat up? It had happened before.

With coffee in hand, Shikamaru watched him from a distance for a little while. The young man was studying diligently, his left hand carefully turning his paper coffee cup in circles as he concentrated. The text book was huge; Shikamaru wondered what he was studying.

He had silver hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, dark eyes and round glasses, which he pushed back up the bridge of his nose every so often with his index finger. His skin was pale, clear and lovely. Shikamaru was entranced, especially with how he moved his lips as he read.

The decision was made: he had to go over there and talk to him.

His chair scraped loudly the floor as he got up, and Shikamaru cringed, expecting everyone to look at him and laugh or glare, but no one paid him any mind.

Shikamaru approached the table, nervous, but confident at the same time. A strange mix.

The young man looked up as Shikamaru reached his table, his eyes curious.

"Hi," Shikamaru said simply.

"Hi," replied the young man.

"What's your name?"

"…Kabuto Yakushi." His eyes were now no longer curious, but guarded.

Shikamaru offered his hand. "Shikamaru Nara. Nice to meet you."

Kabuto shook his hand, probably to be polite. "So…can I help you?"

Shikamaru glanced at the text book. Kinesiology. Kabuto was a med student. Studious. Hot.

"I saw you from over there," Shikamaru motioned with his hand, "And I decided I needed to introduce myself because we don't know each other."

Kabuto's eyes were still guarded.

"What's your major?" Kabuto asked. A loaded question, almost as revealing as 'What's your sign?'

"Accounting," Shikamaru replied with a shrug.

"Really?" Kabuto seemed impressed.

"Yeah, really. Besides, you're one to talk, Mr. Med Student. Why are you studying at this dumpy uni?"

"I transfer to another one next semester."

"Oh, just starting out here?"

"Doing my second degree."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-five."

"And you're on your second degree? What are you, some kind of genius?" Shikamaru wasn't about to divulge the fact that by now he could have had his third degree, but was way too lazy. Accounting was troublesome enough.

"I wouldn't go that far. Besides, you're younger than me, aren't you?" His dark eyes were very curious. Shikamaru felt a little unnerved by them.

"Yeah, I'm nineteen."

"Still a baby, practically," Kabuto joked. He moved a book. "You…want to sit down?"

Shikamaru was surprised that he'd caved so quickly. "Sure."

Shikamaru wasn't sure what to talk about, but found it pleasant that Kabuto had a few things to talk about. They discussed the university's football team, though neither of them liked sports, they admitted with a laugh, their favorite hang out places on campus and off campus, and potential people they both knew. It turned out Kabuto was in a few of the same classes as Temari, Gaara's older sister. Because it was his second degree, that's why he was in her grade. He found himself to be one of the oldest of the kids in his classes, but he didn't let it get in the way of his studies.

Older he may be, he found a lot of people would come to him for study tips, and Kabuto himself hosted a study group in his dorm on Friday nights.

"Friday night? You don't go out on Fridays? You stay home and study? Are you for real?" Shikamaru asked, his eyebrows raised as he pushed his chair back to rock on its back legs. "That's a drag."

"I want to keep good grades…" Kabuto admitted bashfully, his cheeks turning pink.

Shikamaru grinned. "Well, man. I commend you. I can't study at all."

"Are your grades good?"

"Unfortunately."

Kabuto seemed confused. "Do you have one of those brains that all of us despise where you don't have to study at all and you just know the material?"

Shikamaru shrugged one shoulder and smirked. "Do you hate me for it?"

"Yes," Kabuto admitted, pushing his glasses up. "I do. I have to study very hard to keep my grades where they are."

"Top of the class?"

Kabuto's blush answered when his silence did not.

Shikamaru sighed. "Well. Tell me about yourself, then."

"Shikamaru, I'm not a psych student, but…I'm not stupid either. Why are you here? Why are you talking to me?"

Shikamaru's light-hearted expression turned into a frown. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Kabuto closed his textbook. "Why are you at this table engaging me in conversation?"

"Yeah, I got that. Why would I want to speak to a med student when I'm in accounting or some stupid crap like that?"

"…did someone put you up to this?"

"Do you have a lot of enemies?" Shikamaru asked, glancing around. Kabuto looked nervous.

"No, I just…don't have friends. People…only want to talk to me because I'm smart."

"So am I. People talk to me because I force them to. They talk to me because I talk first. Because if they interest me, I find them worthy of my time."

Kabuto's slightly parted lips didn't move as he mulled over Shikamaru's egotistical statement.

"Yeah. I'm an asshole. Get used to it, it's just how I am."

Kabuto blinked. "You…how did you know I'd be 'worth your time'?"

"I didn't. I came over here because I thought you were cute."

Kabuto's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "What?!"

Shikamaru shrugged. "You mean you don't know? Everyone on campus knows me, knows where I stand."

"You're…"

"Gayer than Christmas, my friend."

"…But-"

"So now I'll assume you're wondering why I'm talking to you because I think you're cute. You're probably paranoid that I'm trying to coerce you to my dorm so I can sleep with you. Would that be a correct assumption?"

Kabuto kept blinking.

Shikamaru explained. "My roommate's a psych major."

Kabuto kept blinking in shock. "I…should go," he said quickly, standing to get his backpack from under the table.

"Are you afraid of me now? Why is it…that so many people judge me so harshly the moment they find out I like guys?" Shikamaru asked softly, allowing hurt to enter his eyes. "Just because I think you're cute doesn't mean I want to take you home with me, okay? Can't we just sit here and talk like friends?"

"Are we friends?"

"I was hoping we could be," Shikamaru explained with a sheepish smile.

Kabuto settled down and put his books into his backpack, setting the backpack on the floor again.

"I'm sorry, it's just…"

"Are you? And that's why you're scared?"

"Am I what?" Kabuto asked, already knowing Shikamaru's question. He blushed. "I don't know."

"I know this is a little forward of a question, but…hey. You don't know which team you bat for?"

Kabuto smiled faintly. "I don't like sports, remember?"

"A complicated man," Shikamaru joked.

Kabuto shrugged. "I've never been on a date with a girl. Girls didn't really want to date me in high school. I was the weird kid, you know?"

Shikamaru chuckled. "I couldn't get the girls to leave me alone."

"Two very different problems."

"Do you want to go out with a girl? I'm sure Gaara's girlfriend has some cute friends I could set you up with."

Kabuto frowned. "You just told me you're gay and that you think I'm cute and almost in the same breath, you're offering to set me up with someone else?"

Shikamaru held out his hands, palms up. "Hey, what can I say? I live to please."

Kabuto sighed heavily. "Well." He turned his empty coffee cup in his hands a few times, not looking Shikamaru in the eye. "I'd love to be friends with you. I just…don't know if it'll go further than that."

"You mean-"

"I don't know what I mean."

"Med students…you're so calculating."

"You're one to talk," Kabuto retorted with a smirk. "Come on, let's walk across the campus, it's a nice day."

"You'd be seen with me?" Shikamaru teased.

Kabuto rolled his eyes. "Maybe for now."

"You're getting feisty," Shikamaru commented simply as they left the coffee shop. "I like it."

…

Kabuto didn't talk much about himself. School, he talked plenty about. School, a bit about high school as well, but nothing about his family, his home life, any possible friends.

It didn't bother Shikamaru too much, even though he himself blabbed for an hour about his own life and family and friends. In fact, he'd practically spewed his life story because Kabuto was listening.

Kabuto's silence on his personal life had Shikamaru so curious, he wasn't sure how to address the issue, if at all. All he knew was that it made him want Kabuto a little bit more, which was happening regularly, to the point where he had to tell himself to settle down, that this one wasn't like the others. He wasn't…just a 'see you later, thanks for last night' kinda guy. It was refreshing.

…

"So who's this?" Gaara asked, entering the room. Kabuto was standing in the kitchen while Shikamaru made something at the stove.

Gaara extended his hand. "I'm Gaara, Shikamaru's intelligent roommate."

"Kabuto Yakushi. It's nice to meet you," he replied softly, offering his hand in return.

"You brought home a shy one?" Gaara asked. Kabuto blushed bright crimson and turned away, deciding to sit at the kitchen table.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "It's not like that, okay? Sheesh. Where's your cute girlfriend?"

"She's coming over later. Why, are you baking again? She loved those cupcakes you made the other night."

Shikamaru snorted despite himself before flipping whatever was in the skillet into the air and catching it skilfully. "She would. Don't knock her up, okay? We could never afford to feed her that much. That, and you'd be a terrible father."

Shikamaru received a swat to the back of the head as Gaara 'tsk'ed. "Who says?"

"I say. You'd psycho-analyze your poor kid until his brain melted out his ears."

"Whatever you say, genius. Tell me more about this gentleman sitting at my kitchen table."

Kabuto smiled shyly, and Shikamaru told Gaara that Kabuto could speak for himself.

"I'm 25," Kabuto started. Gaara bit his tongue with the glare Shikamaru sent him. "I'm a med student…studying kinesiology."

"He's on his second degree," Shikamaru added, finishing up at the stove and bringing three plates of food over to the table.

"Yeah? Nice. What's your first one in?"

"Naturopathic medicine," Kabuto replied with another blush. "Don't laugh, most people do."

"Why?"

"Because it makes me look and sound like a hippie," Kabuto explained.

"No, not really. Just looking for an alternative to medicine. Good on you."

"So…what is your girlfriend like?" Kabuto asked. Gaara flushed.

"Well, our relationship was an accident. Her name's Tenten, she's twenty, and…she'll be over later if you want to meet her. She loves meeting new people."

"Okay," Kabuto replied, blushing again.

Shikamaru sighed and finished his food. "So. Gaara. When are you going away?"

"Why, you have other plans with this guy?" Gaara asked, smiling.

Kabuto didn't flush again, he just remained red. Shikamaru chuckled and gathered the plates. "Well, if you're here, then we'll have to go somewhere else."

"I thought we had rules about that. You didn't have a sock on the door. The dorm's free game."

Kabuto frowned. "Sock on the door?"

Gaara shrugged. "Oh, you know. Guys do it to let their roommates know they have someone over…and they don't want to be disturbed. It's kind of a joke we have going because he-" Gaara stopped when he saw the look Shikamaru was giving him.

"Don't finish that sentence if you want to keep your most precious possession. I won't elaborate." Shikamaru was holding the large knife he'd used to chop the vegetables he'd put in their omelettes.

Gaara smiled. "Anyway. I see that he's picked someone normal, so I don't have to worry about anything like interrupting you guys."

"What…" Kabuto was frowning. "Look, you guys-" He was stuttering over his tongue, trying to find the most appropriate words. Shikamaru just put his hands on his hips and sighed.

"Just say it."

"I get that you're gay and all, but…I never said I was going to go along with any of this…that I wanted to-"

"You mean, he just did his usual thing, like approached you, told you he thought you were cute, and then charmed you back here to 'hang out'?" Gaara asked.

Shikamaru actually stomped his foot angrily. "Gaara! Damnit man, would you shut up?"

Kabuto's eyebrows were knitted in confusion. "Well, yes, that's what happened…but…"

"You don't think his prime objective is to get into your pants?"

"Gaara, what the hell?!" Shikamaru cried.

"Well, if it's not true, then deny it," the redhead said stoically, his hands folded on the kitchen table.

Shikamaru sighed. "Well…I did approach him and tell him he was cute, and yes, I do…think about him in a sexual manner."

Kabuto immediately tensed, his entire body rigid as he sat in the chair, Gaara observing each movement of the other men in the room.

Shikamaru sighed and put down the dirty dishes he'd been holding. "Look man, I got to know you a bit and I like you, okay? More than just a booty call."

"…But…" Kabuto was squirming, and Gaara was doing nothing to stand up for his roommates generally decent character. Because when it came to bringing men home, Shikamaru wasn't a decent character.

Gaara stood. "Well. I see how this is playing out."

"Right into your hands, isn't it?" Shikamaru snapped. "Look, man, what the hell is wrong with you? I'm trying to be a better man, and you had to go and say all that crap about me-"

"It's all true, Shikamaru. You're just playing with him."

"Not…I am not!" Shikamaru cried. Kabuto stood abruptly.

"Um, I'm really sorry, but…I need to go."

"Kabuto, don't leave!" Shikamaru demanded, setting the dishes down on the counter and stepping towards him.

Kabuto turned to Gaara quickly and offered a nervous smile. "It was nice to meet you. I'm sorry, but I have to leave."

"It was a pleasure," Gaara replied with a slight nod of his head.

Kabuto hurried to the door, slipped into his shoes and within seconds, had slammed the door behind him.

Shikamaru was livid. It was all he could do not to punch Gaara in the face. "What did you do that for? Now he's gone and I might not see him again!"

"I'll bet you anything he's hyperventilating in the hallway," Gaara said with a frown. "So stop yelling at me and go after him."

Shikamaru frowned. "What?"

"I'm serious. He's out there still. Go talk to him."

Shikamaru hesitated. "What if he doesn't want to listen to me…?"

Gaara rolled his eyes and took Shikamaru forcibly by the shoulders, pushing him towards the door. "Go, you idiot."

"I don't understand your methods, man. They don't make any sense at all."

"Well, that's why I'm still a student," Gaara explained, and waved his hand. "Get out there!"

Shikamaru opened the door and poked his head into the hallway. A few feet away, Kabuto was leaning against the wall, his eyes closed, breathing deeply.

"I don't believe it," Shikamaru murmured. "You _are_ still here…"

Kabuto jumped, startled. "What?"

"Gaara told me to go after you, saying you'd be outside, trying…to think or something." Shikamaru stepped into the hallway and approached his new friend cautiously. "…Hi."

Kabuto drew in a deep breath and searched Shikamaru's face for answers. "…Hi," he finally replied.

"Sorry about all of that."

"It's probably all true," Kabuto replied. "I don't want to sound like a prude, but I'm totally not that kind of guy. I'm also not sure about anything involving…anything. So don't push me."

Shikamaru frowned. "Okay, you know what? You talking is just getting us both upset. Let me explain where I'm coming from." He put his palms out in a show of surrender.

"I'm single, I'm lonely. I'm gay. You're cute. You're interesting. You're not like the other guys I've ever been into, and you have a _brain._ Do you know how rare that is? You've completely captivated me from the minute I saw you at the coffee shop and what you need to know is that _that just doesn't happen _with me. Ever. So, Kabuto Yakushi, I guess what I'm saying is that I think you're worth the effort, as much as I hate to say it because I'm such a lazy-ass."

Kabuto took it all in, let out a deep breath and nodded. "Alright."

"Is that all you have to say?" Shikamaru asked, feeling a twinge of rejection in his chest.

"I didn't say anything other than alright. But…I'm going to need some time to think about everything."

Shikamaru sighed and slid down the wall to sit on the floor. "Thinking is good. It's not…one of my strong suits."

"No, probably not. Too much work?" Kabuto asked with a small grin.

Shikamaru chuckled. "Yeah, too much work."

"So…can we meet in two days and talk about…this?" Kabuto asked. Shikamaru looked up at his new friend and smiled softly.

"Two days? That sounds great."

"Where?"

"In the park outside the campus? That way we can have privacy…as in, Gaara won't listen in, and it's nice out there. Outside is pretty harmless."

"Two days from now I have class until 9:30pm, so…we'd have to meet at 10," Kabuto explained.

Shikamaru nodded and stood up, offering his hand. "Deal. I never sleep anyways."

Kabuto took his outstretched hand and shook it. "Until then…"

Shikamaru offered a small smile. "I hope you come to good conclusions."

"We'll see what happens." He turned with a smile and waved slightly before heading down the hall and out of Shikamaru's line of sight.

Back inside the apartment, Shikamaru swatted Gaara on the back of the head. "You're the meanest roommate I've ever had and I hate you for what you just did."

"So you're meeting up later, then?" The redhead was wearing a thin, mischievous smile.

"In two days," Shikamaru explained, "To talk about 'this', whatever 'this' is."

"Good. I hope he comes around," Gaara said simply.

Shikamaru sighed and slid into a chair at the table. "Me too…"

….


End file.
